Praise for the book

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Framing and Power in Aging Advocacy

My new article on global advocacy for older people is out in the journal Social Movement Studies. I hope this is the first of many articles on this fascinating topic. If we really expect that population aging will lead older people to take over politics, then shouldn't we already see the influence global advocacy groups?

Abstract: The number of groups advocating on behalf of older people, their activities, and their influence suggests that a transnational advocacy network around aging is emerging, but there have been no attempts to study how dense this network is, nor how power is distributed within it. Through collective action frame analysis, this article explores whether organizations advocating on behalf of older people represent the variety of global aging experiences in both developed and less developed contexts. The analysis relies on four types of evidence: documentary; survey; interview; and observation. Advocacy groups employ a number of diagnostic, prognostic, and motivational frames. The findings support arguments in the literature that diverse collective action frames can be more of an asset than a liability because they increase the network’s reach and resonance with multiple stakeholders. Although the aging advocacy network is not very dense, it is becoming denser because of rise of the human rights master frame and the rally for a UN Convention on the Rights of Older People. The frame empowers the network to use its diversity to its advantage, since individual organizations can work for whatever piece of the human rights frame matches best with their organization’s mandate. There are still major power imbalances within the network, however. While it is growing more inclusive of voices from less developed countries, global civil society remains a space for organizations with resources, which those organizations based in poorer countries simply do not have.

About the book

World population now stands at almost 7 billion and if current trends continue, more than 11 billion people will populate our planet by 2050. Large youth populations, massive migration, and differential growth among ethnic groups suggest that the 21st century will undoubtedly include multiple threats to national security: interstate wars, civil conflict, and millions of deaths from poverty and disease. At the same time, urbanization and maturing age structures will create new opportunities for peace and prosperity.

The Future Faces of War: Population and National Security--the first comprehensive book on demography and security in a decade--analyzes the challenges faced and posed by great powers, such as Russia and China; strategic states, like Pakistan and Iran; and rising powers, including Brazil and India. Through analysis aimed at policymakers and general readers, International Relations scholar Jennifer Dabbs Sciubba identifies the trends that offer opportunities for building partnerships and strengthening security, and those that challenge global and civil peace.

Understanding population growth and other demographic trends is crucial to national security, as population issues play a central role in efforts to ensure national defense, avoid societal collapse, and meet citizens’ basic needs. Focusing on multiple scenarios and the theoretical links between population and security, Sciubba’s insights will remain relevant for years to come.